- Date posted
- 3y
- User type
- Staff
- Date posted
- 3y
all of this is super common! first of all, pure o is a really common term that people often use when they think they have no compulsions - but there are always some compulsions present even if it's as subtle as avoidance or a mental compulsion which can be sneaky at times. even from what you've written out, it seems like "when my mind is idle" is a trigger for you. from what you mentioned it seems like this is when you end up scanning and checking for particular worries. i would encourage you to put yourself in more idle time type of activities eg driving or showering and nighttime tend to be harder for people . go into these activities with the intention of being mindful and maybe i do have worries maybe i don't but i'm not going to try to figure them out at this time. also think about any other related scenarios that you avoid or have to ritualize through in order to get through.
- Date posted
- 3y
Thank you! This is really helpful, it’s true I avoid moments where I have too much time to think so I’m going to try to be less avoidant. It’s weird I feel like the ERP is helping with the ocd but instead of the ocd I just have this weird nagging feeling, although its definitely better than the ocd loop.
- Date posted
- 3y
Have you ever monitored your mood / thoughts throughout the day before? Tracking these can help identify triggers. I also thought that I didn’t have triggers until I read back through my log.
- Date posted
- 3y
No I haven’t don’t that as I’m just getting started, but I feel like I have these thoughts almost continually for 2 months so there’s absolutely no respite.
- Date posted
- 3y
@William0cd It can be hard to think of exposures when it comes to themes that don’t have visible compulsions. It seems as if you’ve identified some compulsions already. Existentialism is one of my big themes & part of my exposure is leaving sticky notes of my biggest fears (such as my life being a simulation), and not engaging in ruminating. I definitely recommend doing some mood / thought tracking throughout the day as a good starting point. Are you doing ERP on your own?
- Date posted
- 3y
I have my first session this Tuesday with Heidi Vanderlei which I’m excited about, I tried to do erp on my own but I’m not sure I’m doing it correctly - I tried to sit with the thought but the compulsions are so quick in my mind even when you are trying not to do one your brain just gives you a micro reassurance so I’m worried it’s not going to work. How do you track your thoughts, in the app? Sticky notes is a good idea, I could try that!
- Date posted
- 3y
It’s great that you’re going to work with a therapist! She’ll demystify ERP for you! One thing you might learn in therapy is that you can “spoil” compulsions that come up automatically.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
My NOCD therapist (who has been awesome) and I are both struggling to identify ways in which I can practice exposure therapy while in-session, because the vast majority of my OCD symptoms are mental compulsions. For example: indecision and inability to commit to a choice; seeking reassurance on decisions from friends and family; mental review of things that have just happened / social situations; over-thinking and catastrophizing. I also have some other hallmark symptoms (contamination fears, moral scrupulosity, etc) but those tend to be inconsistent too. It’s hard to really practice these during my sessions because so many are in the moment and fleeting. By the time I join my session they are no longer active. How can we establish exposure responses during my sessions, if most of my OCD involves mental rumination and overthinking patterns/thought loops that only occur “in the moments - rather than specific or consistent compulsions (such as hand washing)?
- Date posted
- 18w
Hey everyone. Just watched a YouTube clip from NOCD and it became clear that ERP appears to be best when your ocd is centered around a theme. Ie germs etc. one thing, not many things The struggle with pure O is that it’s not just one thing, it can be ALL things Is there hope for pure O with ERP ? Love to hear the group’s thoughts
- Date posted
- 15w
One problem - Various themes This is my first post. I had a relapse a few months ago. Life was amazing and then boom, I got triggered by something and started spiralling about my sexuality (having finally been at peace for two years, entered a healthy new relationship and come out of the closet as an older women). How do you, when you're not triggered practice ERP? I'm able to try and accept the thoughts every time I see a man. What should I be doing when I don't encounter these triggers. I was to say as well that I also am starting to get real event OCD about some of the sexual things I did in the past when I was married and in an unhealthy toxic relationship with my ex husband. I am shamed and disgusted and I'm working on it but there's a certain subsection of the LGBTQ community that trigger these thoughts, groinals and thing for me... I feel like I'm beginning to realise I need to maybe be a little more active in my recovery instead of waiting for triggers... But I don't know how
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